What does strategic and visionary leadership look like for Christian organizations? This is the topic of today's podcast where I'm joined by my colleague, Phillip Bethancourt. Phillip is the executive vice-president of ERLC. He previously served as Vice President for Enrollment Management and Assistant Professor of Christian Theology at Southern Seminary. He completed an MDiv and PhD in Systematic Theology at Southern after attending Texas A&M University.
Phililp and I talk about creating healthy organizational cultures, anticipating crisis, and how Texas A&M will fare in this upcoming college football season.
Listen to this week's episode
[powerpress]
Show Notes:
Twitter: @pbethancourt
Website: phillipbethancourt.com
On the podcast I mentioned the release of my new book, The Original Jesus, which releases September 1st.
...

From my recent article at Lifeway Pastors:
A few years ago I began a preaching series through the book of James. To be honest, I decided to preach through James because I felt it addressed some issues I wanted to address, from Scripture in our congregation. James is a book that doesn’t mess around. It addresses weak and shallow faith, joy in suffering, and pride and elitism in the body of Christ.
What surprised me, however, was how much James spoke to me, as a pastor. I was especially convicted by the way James 3 challenges the way pastors approach the text when they stand in the pulpit on Sundays.
Most of us are aware of James 3:1’s shot across the bow. “Not many of you,” James writes, “should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who are teachers will be judged with greater strictness.” I’d always read this verse as...

"Anything is possible if you work hard . . . " this is a message that we hear, over and over again, a credo embedded in the ethos of many Americans. I say "many" because the realities of those of us who have grown up in safe, relatively affluent suburbs is vastly different from my brothers and sisters who've grown up in more hope-starved, crime-ridden, opportunity-free precincts of American life.
But is the above credo true? Is it biblical? And is it something we should whisper to our kids as we tuck them in at night? I get the sentiment behind it, I really do. I think it's important, vital even, for parents to encourage, support and believe in their kids. However, we are lying to our kids if we tell them that if they work hard they can achieve anything they want. Let me use an example in my own...

Max Lucado needs no introduction. He's the bestselling author of 32 books, a popular speaker, and pastor of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. Max joined me today on the podcast to talk about his writing process, leadership transitions, and why he's bullish about the church, in spite of increasing cultural pressure.
Listen to this week's episode
[powerpress]
Show Notes:
Max Lucado on Twitter: @maxlucado
Max's website: maxlucado.com
Max's new book, Glory Days
On the podcast I mentioned the release of my new book, The Original Jesus. It is officially released in September, but is available for pre-order now.
...